WATERTOWN — More than 50 people came out in force to Monday night’s council meeting to express their support to save Zoo New York.

Speaking at the meeting, 12 people, some of them zoo employees who were laid off last week, lobbied council members to make sure that the zoo in Thompson Park doesn’t permanently close.

Tim Greening — the zoo’s former marketing director who is known as “Tim from the Zoo” — told council members he’s convinced the facility can be financially stable with people working together.

“We can do this and do it all,” he said.

On Oct. 27, the Thompson Park Conservancy, which operates the zoo, announced that it was closing the zoo for the winter without a date to reopen. The organization also laid off 15 employees, two-thirds of its staff.

Zoo officials have said that the current business model must change or it cannot survive. The zoo would close and turn the facility over to the city.

On Monday night, council members unanimously agreed to provide $60,000 in additional funding to the Thompson Park Conservancy to help the zoo get through the winter.

During last spring’s budget deliberations, the council appropriated $100,000 to the zoo with the promise to revisit that amount if the zoo needed more money.

Council members also agreed to meet with zoo officials at next week’s work session to learn more about the situation.

Former employees not only said that the zoo attracts people from around the area, but the facility can change children’s lives.

Haley M. Sylvan, the former director of education, said she has seen kids who began participating in zoo programs when they were painfully shy and then become so excited that they attend the programs “all by themselves.”

“It’s not just about going to the zoo,” she said. “It’s been empowering for youth — and even adults — to learn about natural animals and how they feel about conservation.”

About 13,500 children attended outreach programs off site and about 4,000 during field trips to the zoo during the past year, she said.

Flower Avenue resident Holly Nichols said her two daughters enjoy going to the zoo, where they learn about animals and spend family time together.

“The zoo is a real value” to the community, she said.

But the zoo has gone on to an austerity budget this winter. Only five zoo keepers, Executive Director Lawrence J. Sorel and a maintenance employee will continue to work over the winter months. And Sorel will not be a full-time salaried employee; he will be paid as a part-time, hourly worker.

Councilwoman Lisa A. Ruggiero asked whether there is a way that the zoo could keep all 15 employees and continue to work on a way to reopen.

To help get through the immediate financial issues, state Assemblyman Scott A. Gray sent a letter to Erik Kulleseid, commissioner of the New York Office Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation, to fast track a $66,000 state grant that’s due in February.

Zoo officials hope to find out that the public wants to save the zoo. The conservancy, through Jefferson Community College, recently distributed a survey to determine community support.

JCC is currently compiling the survey’s results and could have them completed in the next several days. Sorel expects that the survey will come back with positive results that residents want the zoo to reopen.

After a lengthy delay, Mayor Jeffrey M. Smith said he’s putting together a “Blue Ribbon Panel” to come up with a plan.

Councilwoman Sarah V. Compo Pierce urged that the group of community leaders begin that work as soon as possible.

Zoo officials said last week that the zoo would have a $154,000 deficit next year if the funding arrangements with the city and county don’t change.

The conservancy took over the zoo from the city in 1991.

Last week, two businesses offered the zoo a $60,000 loan. Developer Jake Johnson and the Reddick family, who owns Con Tech Building Systems came forward with their offer for the loan.

But the Thompson Park Conservancy would not have to pay back the money to the city, Sorel said.

“This makes more financial sense,” he said, stressing that he’s grateful for the offer from the two businessmen. “It would essentially be a grant from the city.”