This post supplements and adds to the record from my Thursday, April 9, 2026, article here regarding a remote “systems administrator” who worked for the Knox County Register of Deeds from September/October 2023 until December 15, 2025. In that initial post, I referred to the employee as R.B. Her full name is Rose Browning.

Today, Chris Caldwell, Knox County CFO and Knox County Mayor Glenn Jacobs “KANE” Co-Chief of Staff, responded to one of my open records requests directed to Knox County Finance. Thank you Mr. Caldwell and Knox County Finance I know this week has been tough on you in may ways.

My open records request, dated April 9, 2026, sought confirmation that ROD previous employee Rose Browning who recently retired from the Register of Deeds office on December 15, 2025, and that Browning had parking access from October 1, 2023, to December 15, 2025.

Caldwell replied as follows:

“After a thorough search, our office has located records responsive to your request. Below is PBA’s response to your request:

‘We have taken an extensive look into records for Rose Browning due to an earlier request from Brian Hornbeck (sp). As we understand it and our records would verify, she worked at the CCB (City County Building) prior to 9/2/2023 but in September of 2023, her parking for the City County Garage was deactivated and we show she would be working from home. On 12/2025 we were notified to deactivate her access card as she was no longer an employee. That is all we have for her though. Please advise if I can assist further. Thank you. Best, Jayne’

Thank you for your patience in awaiting this information. This request is now closed. Sincerely, Chris Caldwell CFO/Co-Chief of Staff”

This response now officially confirms that Rose Browning was working remotely from Naples, Florida, for over sixteen months, one year and four months, under Register McBride!

With that confirmation in hand, the question must be asked — and other local media outlets should for the benefit of Knox County and Knox County REPUBLICAN voters join in asking it:

Why did Register of Deeds McBride, on November 14, 2024, approve a raise for this “systems administrator” working remotely from at least 829 miles away (12 hours and 16 minutes of driving distance) from $83,171.92 to $86,498.80? (a $86,498.80 rate she received for the final 13 months of her employment before her “early retirement on December 15, 2025. Should Register McBride have included her in an early retirement offering? I say HELL NO. That Open Records Request for the early retirement is still pending Mr. Caldwell and KANE!

How about it, local media?

• WBIR
• John North of WBIR
• WVLT
• WATE
• KnoxFocus
• News Talk 98.7
• Farragut Press
• Compass Knox
• 24-year-old Allie at Knox News
• Knox News Editor Joel Christopher
• Susan Richardson Williams of Inside Tennessee
• Michael Covington of WATE Tennessee This Week and the Knox County Property Assessor’s Office “day job”

Are you all going to continue ignoring this story? OR even CREDIT #THEMEGABULLHORNOFTRUTH with breaking this story.