August 7, 2026
Hello everyone,
In this newsletter, I’m continuing to provide updates on the key issues that came up at the last council meeting, and I’m including the comments and questions I raised during the discussion. The last topic in this newsletter wasn’t discussed at the council meeting, and I’d like to move it forward with your help.
📌 In this newsletter
✅ Completion of the new wing at HaChita School—the contractor will finish on August 15, and then they’ll begin bringing in the equipment, including the new computers we approved.
✅ Drainage on Tomer and Hadas Streets—Drainage work on the streets is continuing, but the sidewalk markings have not yet been completed.
✅ Ninja Complex in the Halomot Neighborhood—A facility worth 1 million NIS will be built on HaChasida Street, funded partly by the council budget and partly by a grant from the Ministry of Sports.
✅ KKL-funded Nahal Gibor Development Project—The development of open public spaces along Nahal Gibor, from south of the Halomot neighborhood to the Wine Park, will be carried out with the help of a grant from the KKL. There is still a budgetary-administrative issue that I have raised.
✅ The condition of the community’s sports fields—there have been many complaints from residents about a shortage of available fields and existing deficiencies. I am preparing a comprehensive report on this issue and need your feedback.
🏫 1. Completion of the new wing at HaChita School
A budget has been approved to purchase computers for the new wing.
The council head reported that the contractor is expected to finish work on August 15, after which the equipment will be installed in the classrooms.
Therefore, the council was asked to approve a budget increase for the purchase of computers, bringing the total budget for computers to 218,000 NIS.
✔️ The proposal was approved.
Important to Know
The new wing is expected to fully address the school’s lack of shelter space, ensuring that in an emergency, there will be a protected space for all students.
🌧️ 2. Drainage on HaTomer and HaHadas Streets
The Council approved a budget increase for planning the drainage work. Hadas Street lacks a proper drainage system, which causes stormwater to accumulate, leading to ongoing damage to the road surface and the formation of potholes and safety hazards that endanger road users.
What’s happening on the ground? I’ve written before about the resurfacing work done on Hadas and Tomer Streets, but no road markings were applied to the roads or sidewalks—a situation that has become a life-threatening hazard for drivers and pedestrians. Recently, some markings have been applied—dividing lines, parking spaces, and speed bumps. However, no red-and-white markings have been applied on these streets.
The question I raised was: Why haven’t the markings been applied yet?
The answer I received was that the Transportation Committee had not approved these markings.
This is a somewhat puzzling answer, since the markings were already in place before the repaving work began.
📍 I was assured that the issue will be addressed as soon as possible, and I will continue to follow up.
🥷 3. Ninja Playground in the Halomot Neighborhood
The facility will include 12 activity stations, a rubber safety surface, shade structures, and more. It will be built on HaChasida Street, between the dog park and the large parking lot. The cost of the facility is approximately 1 million NIS—450,000 funded by the Ministry of Culture and Sports, and 590,000 that we approved at the meeting from the Authority’s funds.
There was also misinformation on this issue—the agenda stated that the project would be carried out on Marvad HaKsamim Street, and only after I raised a question about it during the meeting did the council chairman hasten to clarify that the project would be on HaChasida Street.
✔️ The proposal was approved.
🌿 4. Gibor Stream Development Project, funded by the JNF
About a year ago, we approved a budget for planning a project to develop public spaces along the Gibor Stream. The project covers 40 dunams extending:
- south of the Halomot neighborhood
- through the Neve Sharett neighborhood
- to the new neighborhood in Park HaYayin
- and the area between HaBe’er Street and HaTirosh Street.
A year ago, I wrote in the newsletter:
“I voted in favor of the plan because it’s important to develop public spaces before their zoning is changed. At the same time, I asked—where will the funding come from?”
And here’s the good news
🎉 The JNF has allocated 5 million NIS to the project.
The project includes plans for a walking trail, a bike path, and landscaping.
✔️ The proposal has been approved.
But there’s an issue that needs to be addressed
While reviewing the documents as part of my preparation for the meeting, I found a discrepancy between:
- The KKL budget authorization document referred to financial authorization for other streets located far from the Gibor site
- and the area presented to council members during the meeting as the “Gibor Complex.”
These are different areas.
What did I ask? I raised the issue during the meeting and requested clarification regarding this discrepancy.
The council chair replied that the KKL had considered the Nahal Gibor area, so what was written in the document was irrelevant—but no documents were presented to us.
In my opinion, this is an insufficient answer.
When a public body allocates a budget, the official document is what matters. If a change was agreed upon, the authorization document must also be updated.
What did I do?
That same week, I sent an email to the council secretary and the treasurer, with a copy to the council chair.
My goal is not to create controversy but to raise timely awareness of issues that can be resolved in advance.
Unfortunately, as of the time of writing this newsletter, no response has been received.
Here is the text of the email that was sent.
At the extraordinary meeting held on Tuesday, July 28, 26, during the discussion of new budget item No. 2633—which included a budgetary authorization from the JNF in the amount of 5 million NIS for the performance of specific works in a specific area of the “Ma’of.”
I welcome this type of project and the mobilization of resources.
However, there is a fundamental discrepancy in the documents:
The accompanying letter referred to specific neighborhoods and a specific street area. However, during the meeting, the Council Chair noted that the intended purpose and use of the budget is for the Gibor Stream channel—which is unrelated to the streets specified in the authorization.
In other words, the budgetary authorization was limited to the specific neighborhoods, and we voted in favor of using a different land parcel.
Therefore, I request a copy of the updated approvals from the KKL-JNF that permit the use of a different land parcel not included in the area defined in their accompanying letter. Such material, if available, should have been submitted along with the agenda for approval of the special budget allocation either 10 days prior to the meeting, as required, or in the days leading up to the meeting.
I would appreciate receiving the documents or any relevant documentation
📍 I will continue to follow up.
⚽ 5. Condition of the Community’s Sports Fields
As a council member, I receive many inquiries from residents regarding the community’s public sports fields—the fields available to the general public for tennis, basketball, soccer, and recreational sports activities.
The bottom line is that there is a significant shortage of sports fields in the town. Furthermore, no professional plan has been presented for the construction of additional facilities or for the continued renovation and upgrading of existing sports facilities.
In addition to this shortage, there is also a serious problem with the maintenance of existing facilities.
To my understanding, although there is a salaried deputy mayor in charge of sports, and although a director has also been appointed for this area (in addition to the deputy mayor), recreational sports are not currently receiving the attention they deserve. Many residents have contacted me regarding poorly maintained facilities, safety hazards, and a lack of available courts.
Just this week, after I finished mapping all the sports fields in the town and began inspecting them, I received a complaint from a resident regarding a lighting problem at the tennis court on the hill. 🎉 The council head’s response to the inquiry included important news that will resolve a common problem of arriving at a court only to find it already occupied, and, more importantly, the takeover of sports courts by non-Zichron residents, who often even drive the town’s children away.
An app is currently being finalized that will allow users to reserve a court in advance, along with cameras and gates that can only be unlocked remotely.
What do I intend to do? Prepare and submit a comprehensive report to the council members on the state of the community’s public sports facilities.
🙏 This is where I need your help
If you use the public sports fields and are aware of any defects or hazards, I’d appreciate your help. Please send me—
📍 The field’s location.
📝 A brief description of the problem.
📷 Clear photos of the defects or hazards.
You can send them to me via email or WhatsApp.
The information will be included in a report organized by sport, without identifying the names of those who submitted the reports, in order to present a reliable and complete picture of the situation and to work toward correcting the defects and improving the sports facilities.