Washington’s pool committee is launching a campaign to keep the city pool open.

In recent days, the City Council has discussed the pool, including talk about closing it.

The committee wants the council, during its meeting Monday, to support the campaign.

Last year during the budget process, the council considered shutting down the pool.

During the budget public hearing last year, about 18 people voiced their support for the pool. They said the pool provides health benefits to those who use it and provides a place for local swim teams to compete. Pool critics said taxpayers should not subsidize a facility that loses money and is not used by most city residents.

Barbara Dunn, a committee member, plans to join other pool supporters at the council’s meeting Monday.

“Dalace Inman, who is the manager of the pool, is going to be there, and she’s been talking to a number of people about coming,” Dunn said. “I think there are going to be some parents of the swimming team members, for instance. There are several people from out water-aerobics class that are going to be there, including myself.”

Dunn, who suffers with arthritis, said the “pool is keeping me alive” because it provides her therapy. Dunn also believes Beaufort County should provide money to operate the pool.

“One of the things we are trying to do — there are a lot of county residents who use the pool — is to get the county to support the pool. It’s being entirely supported by the city right now, which I think is unfair. I’m a county resident, and I think that my county taxes ought to help support the pool, too,” Dunn said. “The county commissioners have been very resistant to it.”

Dunn said she and others plan to attend a May 24 meeting of the Beaufort County Board of Commissioners to lobby for county support of the pool.

The pool, formally known as the Hildred T. Moore Aquatic and Fitness Center, costs the city about $360,000 a year to operate, with it costing the city more to maintain than membership fees and other pool-related revenues can cover. Also, the pool’s dehumidifier is in need of replacement, estimated to cost about $300,000.

Councilman Doug Mercer and Mayor Mac Hodges have called for closing the pool and converting the pool complex into a senior citizens center.

The pool committee wants to raise half of the $300,000 needed to replace the dehumidifier, with the city providing a dollar-for-dollar match, according to a memorandum from Kristi Roberson, the city’s parks and recreation director, to the mayor and council. The committee wants the campaign to run to Dec. 31. Proposed ideas for raising funds include selling tiles for a mural in the kiddie pool, conducting a triathlon around the McConnell Sports Complex, swim-a-thons and car washes.

The committee will seek support from corporate and other sponsors and the Beaufort County Board of Education, according to the memorandum. The city’s Recreation Advisory Committee recommends the council accept the committee’s recommendation to support the pool campaign.

Beaufort County Schools is willing to contribute $25,000 to the save-the-pool campaign, according to a subsequent memorandum from Roberson to the mayor and council.