This is supplement and add to the record this April 9, 2026 post and this April 14, 2026 post.

The Knox County Register of Deeds Voluntary Early Retirement Plan is now public after Knox County Finance responded to an open records request by #TheMegaBulllhornofTruth.

According to the plan, the offer was extended to 14 employees. As of the November 20, 2025 “Meet the Staff” page on the Register’s website, the office had 30 employees (including two of the five who ultimately retired). Five employees accepted the offer.

The offer was dated July 17, 2025 — exactly 12 weeks and 1 day after the Register of Deeds appointed a Treasurer to “seat hop” in a challenge against Trustee Justin Biggs.

Employees who accepted the offer were required to submit their paperwork by September 26, 2025. Their last workday could be as late as October 3, 2025 (unless an alternate date was requested). All participants were expected to have a retirement date no later than January 1, 2026, which means their final day of work had to occur no later than December 12, 2025.

According to her personnel file included in the early retirement package, Ms. Browning was hired on November 1, 1993.

With 32 years of service, she received:

• 3 months pay (approximately $21,725)
• 32 years × $400 = $12,800
• Plus a $7,000 lump sum for medical coverage transition
• Plus payment for her accrued unused vacation leave
• Plus payment for accrued unused sick leave (up to the maximum allowed)

This totals $41,575 (roughly) in cash payments, in addition to the payouts for vacation and sick leave — representing a significant liability for the taxpayers of Knox County.

Interesting that, according to her Separation Notice—which bears only the Register’s signature and what appears to be handwritten entries—the controversial “ghost/remote worker” Rose Browning’s last date was listed as December 15, 2025. According to the plan, the last day should have been December 12, 2025 (three days longer than the plan allowed)

How can Knox County Internal Audit and ALL the fulltime media ignore ALL OF THIS?! How can the Audit Committee of Commissioner Jay, Commissioner Jackson, Commissioner Thompson, Jim Morrison, and a the Audit Committee Chair Matt Warren (a coworker with Commissioner Jay at PYA) Ignore This?!

Unconfirmed gossip/rumor: I have been told by a source that Rose Browning’s maiden name was Rose Appleton, though I have not independently verified this. According to the Register’s April 10, 2026 campaign finance disclosure, a Rose Appleton made a $500 donation on March 9, 2026. The listed treasurer is the Chief Deputy Register. If Rose Appleton is indeed the same person as Rose Browning, it raises the question of why her address is recorded as “Best Effort Made,” given that the office would presumably have the address of a former, now-retired employee.