Veteran urges Newman to back peer counseling group, city says memorial plan funded

Jorge Martinez, a member of a local veterans post, told the Newman City Council on Aug. 26 that veterans in the area lack mental-health supports and asked the city for help establishing a volunteer peer-counseling group and memorial flagpoles.

Martinez said he has been trying to start “Friends Anonymous,” a no-dues, peer-support group and sought city support for a flagpole and a memorial in both Newman and Gustin. “With a little help from the city, we might be able to organize, Friends Anonymous,” Martinez said. He also described recent personal loss and said local veterans have “nowhere to turn.”

The comment matters because Martinez framed the request as a low-cost, volunteer-driven alternative to professional treatment and tied it to memorialization for veterans in town. City staff told the council they already have a memorial design in progress and budgeted funds to proceed to engineering and construction documents.

A city staff member said the city “have money in the budget this year to start the design” for a memorial plaza and that staff could involve Martinez in planning. Mayor Graham offered condolences and said staff could follow up to discuss the memorial plan and involvement.

The council did not take formal action on Martinez’s request at the meeting. Staff said they would reach out to Martinez to explain next steps for the memorial design and the existing budgeted work; no firm commitment on a peer-counseling program or insurance/permit waivers for events was recorded.

The issue may return to staff or the council for any formal program or permitting decisions. Martinez left his contact information with city staff at the meeting.