Loveland Reporter-Herald: A lawsuit that sparked a special counsel investigation of Loveland City Council members Dana Foley, Pat McFall, Steve Olson and Andrea Samson has been tossed out by a district court judge.

On Friday, Eighth Judicial District Court Judge C. Michelle Brinegar issued an order dismissing the complaint filed by Loveland resident Bill Jensen alleging that the four current councilors violated Colorado open meeting law along with three former councilors (Richard Ball, John Fogle and Don Overcash) in the weeks before their decisive vote on the controversial Centerra South urban renewal plan.

However, Brinegar’s order did not address the merits of Jensen’s allegations. Instead, his suit was dismissed under claim preclusion, also known as res judicata, which bars relitigation of claims already decided in a prior proceeding.

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