Two seek county sheriff seat

Two Republicans are seeking to win the August primary election to move on to the November ballot for sheriff of St. Joseph County.

Current sheriff Mark Lillywhite is being challenged on the Aug. 4 ballot by Gordon Evilsizor, who made an unsuccessful bid for county sheriff in 2008.

Mark Lillywhite

Sheriff Mark Lillywhite was appointed Feb. 1, 2020, to fulfill the remainder of sheriff Brad Balk’s term through November. He is looking to be elected to his first term by the community.

Lillywhite is a lifelong resident of St. Joseph County. He has been married for more than 22 years and has three children, residing in Flowerfield Township near Three Rivers.

Lillywhite is a 25-year employee of the St. Joseph County Sheriff’s Department and has served in nearly every capacity during that time. He has most recently served the department and community as undersheriff from 2009 through 2020.

Lillywhite said his experience on all tiers has made him a well-rounded candidate for continuing as the county’s elected sheriff.

“I have had the opportunity to serve the citizens of St. Joseph County in the following capacities while employed at the sheriff’s office: three years as a corrections deputy; four years as a road patrol deputy; three years as a narcotics investigator; four years as a road sergeant, and 11 years as undersheriff,” Lillywhite said.

Lillywhite has also worked part-time for the village of White Pigeon as a patrol officer for more than 20 years.

Lillywhite said he is “humbled” to have the endorsements of retired sheriffs Matt Lori and Brad Balk, as well as the St. Joseph County organizations of the corrections sergeants, road patrol sergeants, corrections deputies and road deputies; State Sen. Kim Lasata, State Rep. Aaron Miller, Constantine and Mendon police chiefs Mark Honeysett and Dan Kennedy, Sturgis Director of Public Safety Geoff Smith, Three Rivers and White Pigeon police chiefs Tom Bringman and William Burgoyne; UAW — Citizens and legislative (CAP) Committee; the Service Employee International Union Local 517M, as well as Right to Life.

Lillywhite said he has been preparing for the role of sheriff “my entire adult life.”

Lilltwhite holds an associate’s degree in law enforcement, is a graduate of the Kalamazoo Valley Community College police academy, has a bachelor’s degree in police administration from Siena Heights University in Lenawee County, has 400 hours of executive training in staff and command from Michigan State University, training through the FBI and attended undersheriff school through Michigan Sheriff’s Association.

“If elected, I will continue to advance the department through technology, training, and strategies for our staff,” he said. “I will continue to focus on maintaining high departmental standards, public safety and accountability. I will continue to build and maintain positive relationships throughout the community, emergency service agencies and other community stakeholders through effective communication, education and community involvement.”

“I will continue to bring experience, values, accountability and proven leadership to the citizens of St. Joseph County,” he said as part of his campaign bid.

Gordon Evilsizor

Evilsizor did not respond to an emailed request from the Journal for an interview. The following is from his various campaign pages online.

Evilsizor is a lifelong resident of St. Joseph County and the father of two adult children. He is a 1982 graduate of White Pigeon High School and a 1995 police academy graduate from Kalamazoo Valley Community College.

Evilsizor said in his biography online has was a patrolman in St. Joseph County for five years, owned Evilsizor Trucking for 13 years and Evilsizor Irrigation Services for 12 years.

He was elected to two terms as supervisor of Florence Township and is a member of the county’s ambulance committee and Right to Life. He reported he negotiated the reconstruction of Constantine Road, which is said is deemed the “worst road in St. Joseph County.” The 6.4-mile project is set to be completed in 2021.

Evilsizor wrote he wants to change the department he believes needs to head in a new direction.

“The sheriff’s department has been a family business for over 50 years,” he claimed on his campaign website. “At the first of this year, our elected sheriff decided to retire before his term was complete. Sheriff Balk retired early so that he could get his nephew appointed as sheriff prior to the election so that the family reign could continue. I would like to thank Sheriff Balk for his year of service to the community but not for his choosing to end his term early. To play politics is very disappointing.”

Evilsizor wrote that he has “no interest in playing political games. I have demonstrated my leadership and have proven I can get things done.”

With his experience “as a father, business owner who deals with customers daily, police officer, a two-term township supervisor, I look forward to bringing that experience to the sheriff’s office,” Evilsizor wrote. “I look forward to making the sheriff’s department a department that all residents can depend on for top-quality service.

“To serve would be an honor,” he wrote.