Sometimes living without regret means making big decisions.
This is true for Jason Grubb, who announced last week he is resigning from his position as the Sweetwater County Library System director. Grubb told the Green River Star he is stepping down because he wants to start his own web design company.
“I’ve always wanted to work with myself, I feel like there’s a unique opportunity, and honestly I’m not getting any younger, so I just feel like if I don’t do this now it’s just never going to happen,” Grubb explained. “People who know me know I’ve been talking about this for a really long time. So there’s never a perfect time to start a business, they say, and I just got to a position where I thought I could make it happen. That’s what’s motivating it.”
Grubb said he wants to live his life without regrets, so he made this decision in order to pursue his goals. However, he is thankful for his time with the library system.
“I could not have asked for a better job,” he said.
Grubb has been with the library system for 11 years, the past eight of which have been spent as the library director. He will be leaving his position on Nov. 12, having given a six-week notice to help the library make the transition. Knowing the library has gone through quick and difficult transitions in the past, Grubb doesn’t want to leave his colleagues in that position. The current library board has also never been through this experience, Grubb explained, so he has been working on doing what he can to make the process easier.
“I won’t be involved with the hiring process, but I’m connecting them with people who will help them, and updating job descriptions, and just doing all the things that you sort of need to do to make a smooth transition,” Grubb said. He also expressed his confidence in the strength of the board and the great and smart people who are on it.
Commissioner Roy Lloyd mentioned Grubb’s announcement during the Sept. 21 county commission meeting and pointed out that Grubb staying longer to help with the transition shows his dedication to the library.
“I’ve worked with Jason the last three years, and the guy rolls with the punches,” Lloyd said. “He’s one of the best directors we have in our area. When we cut his funding, he finds ways to become more effective ... Jason is just an integral part of this community with what he’s provided at those libraries. And even though I know that we’ll find a good replacement, and they have a solid board, Jason has been a phenomenal partner and done a great job at that library, and will truly be missed.”
Although he rolled with the punches, Grubb said the most challenging part of his job was “100% the budget.” He noted that during his eight years as director, the budget was cut by 10% three separate times, and often in danger of being cut even more. In such a large library system, it’s hard to maintain all the same services with increasingly less money, Grubb said. He noted that the budget cuts were no one’s fault and he never felt like the library was singled out, it was just “the reality of the county.” However, working around the cuts was hard for him, especially since he always wanted to do more for the library system.
Grubb’s dedication to the library could also come from the fact that his favorite part of his job as director was working with the staff.
“They are by far the coolest people I’ve ever worked with,” Grubb said. “I had never had a job for longer than maybe two or three years until I came to the library system, but I stayed because the people here are just so dedicated to the community and the libraries and so willing to help one another.”
Going forward, Grubb hopes the library will continue to maintain what they have and will use the transition to look at what can be done differently.
“Every time someone leaves, it’s a unique opportunity to reorganize,” Grubb noted, expressing his confidence that the library board and staff will continue to evaluate things and make good decisions going forward.
As Grubb also moves forward with his own ambitions, he is excited to continue to be a part of the community. He pointed out that his family has no plans to leave, especially since his wife Jackie is the director at Golden Hour Senior Center, his children go to the schools here and his parents live in the area. Grubb also pointed out that his love and support for the libraries won’t change. But for himself, Grubb is looking forward to the next step.
“We get one life and it’s a short one,” Grubb said. “I’ve had a great time at the library, it’s just time for something else.”
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