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Bryce Merrill has been named as the new leisure services director for Orem. He previously headed the city's Recreation Department and, before that, was manager of the Provo Recreation Center.

Courtesy Bryce Merrill

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Carley Morgan, of Orem, completes a rep as she works out at the Provo Recreation Center on Thursday, June 4, 2020.

Isaac Hale, Daily Herald file photo

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People walk through exhibits from the Utah Black History Museum in the Orem Public Library on Saturday, Feb. 4, 2023.

Harrison Epstein, Daily Herald

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Rows of fantasy, horror and even musical films are housed in the basement of the Orem Library.

Courtesy Orem City

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Just after 11 a.m. Monday, an email was sent from Brenn Bybee, Orem’s acting city manager, to city officials and library staff naming Bryce Merrill as the new director of the library.

Merrill is also the director of the Recreation Department and will oversee both departments under the new title of leisure services director, according to Bybee.

This is not a temporary assignment for Merrill, but a change in how Orem is running its departments and renaming them.

“While many may not be familiar with the position of Leisure Services Director, it is fairly common in cities across the country and is an effective and efficient way to streamline the ‘enriching’ side of city services,” Pete Wolfley, Orem communications manager, said in a separate email to the Daily Herald. “The Leisure Services Director takes the lead on ensuring a great citizen experience across the board and improving citizens’ quality of life through these city services.”

Besides his duties related to the library and Recreation Department, Merrill also will oversee “all the beloved events the city hosts,” including Orem Summerfest, Wolfley added. “Bryce has a long track record of creating great user experiences and we are excited to see what he will do in this new role,” he said.

Helping Merrill will be Recreation division managers Mariah Shirley and Debbie Boone, as well as Mike Smith and Anthony Morris, library division managers.

“I’m confident that Bryce can succeed in this new role due to the quality of the division managers in both the Library and Recreation Departments who will continue to handle much of the day-to-day operations of each department,” Bybee said in his missive.

With the retirement of former library Director Charlene Crozier, Bybee noted there are more pressing concerns than displays, referring to recent complaints over a recent directive prohibiting monthly displays commemorating events like Black History Month, Pride Month, Women’s History Month, Hispanic Heritage Month, Native American Heritage Month, and Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month.

“When I think of the collective stewardship that our recreation and library department staff have in welcoming thousands of Orem residents daily into our facilities, I could not be more excited about the opportunities and impact that they help foster each day,” Merrill said. “While both of these incredible departments have unique operations, challenges and processes, our staff teams recognize that we’re unified in our effort to provide access to services and, more importantly, a sense of community that residents continue to seek out.

“Whether it’s at the Senior Friendship Center, the library, the Family Fitness Center, Scera Pools, the soon-to-be-completed Hillcrest Park or at hundreds of events, programs and leagues across Orem’s outdoor recreation amenities, I’m confident that we’ll continue to align the priorities of our residents, commissions, council and staff to create a one-of-a-kind experience in our community. Even in just the first couple days we’ve been working together, staff have already brought some innovative ideas forward that combine the department’s resources to better provide our services to residents. We’re excited for these changes and can’t wait to get started.”

These are not the only changes coming to the city, according to Bybee.

“I have decided to incorporate organizational changes and efficiencies across every city department,” he said.

Besides the combining of the Recreation Department and the Library Department, Keri Rugg, former director of Human Resources, has had her duties expanded and will now be the management services director. That job will include human resources, information technology and other employees. With the exit of Steven Downs as deputy city manager, Wolfley has been made communications manager.

All of these changes and more will need to be ratified by the City Council at a later date, most likely at its Feb. 28 meeting. These changes are intended to match the “Mayor and Council’s areas of focus for 2023. This is to align the interests of the city council, city employees and the community,” Bybee’s email said.

The “go-forward plan” will need to include help from library staff, according to Bybee. Specifically, he wrote, “I’m asking each of you to help in the following ways: Support Merrill as the new Leisure Services Director and continue to support Smith and Morris; Focus on top priorities; highlight the outstanding services the Library provides; Identify and celebrate our many small (or big) wins; and incorporate operational innovation quickly.”

Bybee also asked for the library staff to “Be conscientiously and proactively constructive with your input or feedback. Find Common ground whenever something could otherwise be a ‘hot-button’ issue. Remembers that while we can’t make everyone happy, we can help everyone be happier.”

“We’ve got this. We can get there positively and peacefully,” his message said. “We will continue to make the Library an Orem community gathering center through solutions-oriented customer service, exciting and engaging programs and maintaining and improving an extensive collection of materials. Join me in finding a thousand more small ways to kindly serve our public moving forward.”

According to a library employee seeking anonymity for fear of retribution, Merrill held an approximately two-hour meeting Monday afternoon with staff members. “He seems to be nice, but he gives generic non-answers like (Crozier). Someone cried and some were angry,” the employee said.

“Librarianship is often wrapped up in ‘vocational awe,'” said Amy Sorenson, an Orem librarian. “We see libraries and our work there as a type of sacredness that is inherently valuable to society. We love our work. We love our library patrons. We want to provide them with programs and books that improve their lives.”

Sorenson and others are now concerned they have lost their voice due to the management changes. With Bybee’s plan promoting positivity, some staff say their continuing complaints of censorship have not been resolved or addressed, just left behind. And according to Sorenson, “It is painful.”

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