Donations will cover the new fee enacted by Fredonia for its children’s summer recreation program.

Trustee Jon Espersen announced that “an individual has raised $7,000 from different donations that will be paying for everyone’s fees.” That person was John Gullo, according to Mayor Michael Ferguson.

The Board of Trustees recently enacted a $20 fee for signups to the recreation program, which takes place at village playgrounds. The town of Pomfret also supports the program.

There was also a $5,000 donation from the Mac Hughes Foundation for recreation program supplies, Espersen said.

The Pomfret Town Board wound up enacting a $20 fee for its residents to join the program, in response to the Fredonia trustees’ move.

Ann Eckman, deputy town supervisor, expressed gratitude to Gullo and his wife, Michelle, for their donation. She assured that it would only be spent on recreation department fees.

Eckman complained that Fredonia officials did not meet with anyone from Pomfret about the fee before passing it. “None of us were aware of that. That was a decision made by the village and only the village.”

However, with Fredonia residents now paying a fee, Pomfret’s officials feel that their own residents should have to as well, so all program participants are under the same rules.