ROSSFORD – City council said goodbye to a member who, after 26 years, was attending his final meeting.

Greg Marquette attended his last council meeting on Monday after not winning reelection.

Marquette thanked his wife for believing for the past two decades that council meetings lasted three or four hours.

His time in office has been fun, he said.

“We do not identify as Democrats or Republicans in this community. Our focus is on the community and the people,” he said.

About 30 years ago, he got a call from then-Mayor Mark Zuchowski asking him to serve on the planning commission.

That was when planning for the Crossroads was starting. Then came the debacle of the amphitheater/arena “and it didn’t seem like there was any light at the end of the tunnel,” Marquette said.

The next council has the chance to reshape this community for the next 50-75 years, he said.

The city has the money, the resources, the leadership and the ideas.

He listed the people he has worked with over the past 26 years, including three mayors, four city administrators, two clerks, five finance directors and numerous council members and office personnel.

“Anytime in life you can participate and be a part of something bigger than yourself, that is a true blessing,” said Mayor Neil MacKinnon III.

He said he has only experienced that a few times in his life, including being mayor of Rossford.

Despite the wins and the losses, it’s the relationships you create that you remember, he said.

“I’m blessed to have a relationship and a friendship and a brotherhood with Greg Maquette,” MacKinnon said.

Marquette is a Rossford native with four children and seven grandchildren.

“Thank you for all your service and all that you’ve done,” said MacKinnon.

Council member Christopher Heban thanked Marquette for being a mentor while Bob Toth said he hoped he could fill Marquette’s shoes.

“Greg, you and I go back a long time,” said Larry Oberdorf Sr., who pointed out Marquette was a student of his at one time. They served on council together for 16 years.

“I’ve enjoyed your guidance and your friendship,” he said.

Caroline Eckel said she was appointed to council due to the confidence Marquette had in her.

Since then, they have done their best to do right by the city of Rossford, she said.

“Some people think longevity in office is a negative thing. That’s really unfortunate,” she said.

Being a member of council is a labor of love, she said.

“The time that Greg has spent working for Rossford as a public servant is a testament of how much he loves it here,” Eckel said.

Council member Brenna Reynolds was not at the meeting.