PORT ANGELES —Supporters of keeping financially strapped William Shore Memorial Pool open are trying to rally the public by collecting signatures on a petition, waving signs on the streets and planning a brainstorming session for Friday.

The 5:30 p.m. meeting at the Vern Burton Memorial Center, 308 E. Fourth St., is designed for the public to discuss ideas on how to keep the indoor pool open.

The City Council decided at a 2009 budget work session that the pool should close next March 21, and that it should be funded through that date, interim City Manager Jerry Osterman said.

The city staff is still working on what budget cuts will need to be made to accommodate the extra months, he said.

“We are going to clarify that through our city newsletter, because there has been a lot of confusion about what is going on,” Osterman said.

The pool could close earlier if there are no signs that a sustainable funding solution has been developed, he said.