Christine O’Connor, the former Lowell City Solicitor who kicked off the current School Committee debate about hiring outside counsel to investigate complaints about hiring practices, has issued her first statement on the controversy since the letter she penned just before leaving the city became public.

O’Conn0r, who is now Town Counsel for North Andover, issued her statement to 980WCAP-AM Morning Co-Host Casey Crane, who shared the statement with InsideLowell earlier today after alluding to it on today’s Morning Show. The full statement reads:

“As set forth in my letter, there were Complaints – plural – from individuals at the school department. Pursuant to the vote of the Committee at a meeting they asked I attend, it was my expectation that I would give the names of those who came forward to whomever they hired. “

The statement indicates O’Connor would provide the information to outside counsel if hired, but seems to confirm that she has not provided it to Helene Tomlinson, who recently replaced O’Connor in Lowell. Tomlinson has stated she has no records or information regarding the case, which itself has sparked questions by many in the city as to why the new Solicitor is not privy to any documentation.

O’Connor’s letter to the School Committee did indicate she left the information with one of her Associate Solicitors, Helen Anderson, who has since also left the city.

The information behind the complaints and who exactly is aware of them has been at the heart of the ongoing controversy, which was recently discussed on InsideLowell Podcast featuring Kara Pigeon, a Lowell High Teacher who has since gone public as one of the individuals filing a complaint. The issue was also discussed in podcasts with School Committee member Jackie Doherty, City Councilors Kim Scott and John Drinkwater.