The Lady Lake Commission has scheduled a closed session to discuss a former police chief’s age discrimination lawsuit against the town.
The closed session will be held at 5:15 p.m. Feb. 23 at Lady Lake Town Hall.
Chris McKinstry stepped down in late 2018 as chief of police in Lady Lake after nearly seven years in the position. In the lawsuit filed in June 2020, McKinstry claims that Town Manager Kris Kollgaard was behind the ouster. She retired in October 2020.
“Kollgaard manufactured a whole series of reasons for the termination, including such claims as he was not wearing his bullet proof vest while in the office, although that was never required by the department’s standard operating procedures,” according to the lawsuit.
McKinstry, who had a long law enforcement career in Broward County before taking over in Lady Lake, said in the lawsuit that, “Kollgaard did not want a chief who was old and experienced enough to object to her interference in police affairs.”
The town’s insurance company is taking the lead in the lawsuit, which could mean a settlement is in the offing.
