UPDATE 4:50 p.m. Thursday: City manager John Patterson says Dixon has recommended that Casper attorney Wes Reeves take over the Hedquist investigation. Patterson says councilors will likely vote on adding Reeves to the city's legal counsel during a Nov. 5 regular session.

The city of Casper will have to look for a new firm to conduct its conflict of interest investigation into Ward II city councilor Craig Hedquist.

Casper attorney and former city councilor Kathleen Dixon stepped away from the job after Hedquist's legal team protested the hiring, claiming it too raised possible conflict of interest concerns.

Dixon, whose hiring was approved by Casper City Council last week, says it was best for her to separate from the city and not distract from the forthcoming investigation.

“It struck me as being a waste of the city’s time and money to have us arguing over whether or not one attorney or another attorney should be the person to do the investigation and the prosecution,” Dixon said.

Dixon & Dixon conducted the initial study into Hedquist's conduct. The firm concluded that Hedquist, who owns Hedquist Construction, a road construction company that contracts regularly with the city, committed workplace violence when he allegedly harassed city engineer Andrew Beamer about compensation during a construction progress meeting two months ago.

Hedquist reportedly asked Beamer if he was “… f---ing going to stand up, b---h? Are you going to start paying?” Beamer also says Hedquist had a “challenging type of look” during the dispute.

According to the Dixon & Dixon report, Beamer made a legal recording of the meeting.

Hedquist faces possible removal from city council.

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