Page 16-Wednesday, May 3, 1978-The Michigan Doily
!State
(Continued from Page7)
troduced by Senator James Desana, a
Wyandotte Democrat.
The state aid bill differs from
previous years by abolishing the
requirement that cities or villages must
raise income taxes to receive aid.
Ann Arbor would receive $82,740 un-
der Desana's proposal, even though the
average income in Ann Arbor is well
above the $6,000 level without students.
However, University students bring the
average below the rfquired level.
Bullard has adopted a waiting at-
titude to see the final version of the bill.
Plymouth Center
A special task force established by
Governor William Milliken to in-
vestigate charges of abuse at the
Plymouth Center for Human Develop-
ment reported last week it found 46
cases of abuse and 20 cases of neglect at
the state-owned institution.
The task force, a team of eight in-
vestigators drawn from the Michigan
Departments of Mental Health and
Social Services and from the State
Police, made several recommendations
from reprimands to firings of at least 13
center employees.
THE COMMITTEE referred 33 in-
cidences of alleged abuse to the State
Police for further investigation. The
circumstances surrounding the deaths
of five other residents are to be
reviewed by a team of outside
physicians to see if medical neglect was
a factor.
A spokesperson for Evelyn Provitt,
acting director at Plymouth, said she
will take the committee's recommen-
dations "under advisement." The
spokesperson said Provitt will continue
to study the committee's report and
issue "suspensions and dismissals as
they are required." Since she replaced
William Womack as director on
February 22, Provitt has suspended 21
attendants. Two attendants have been
exonerated, one was given a 10 day
suspension, 13 have been fired and five
are still under investigation.
"I think she is doing an excellent job,
but she has just begun and she has a
long way to go. She has only been
working on attendants in Kennedy Hall.
She still has to search for attendants in
Binet Hall where much of the abuse has
occurred," said Alice Saules, president
of the Plymouth Associaiton for Retar-
ded Citizens. (PARC).
ALTHOUGH MOST sources close to
the Plymouth case believe the task for-
ce's recommendations will help solve
the institution's abuse problem, Provitt
still has the right to refuse to abide by
the committee's recommendations.
Provitt's spokesperson said the ac-
ting director might make some
"alterations" in the committee's
recommendations but refused to
specify what they might be.
Several PARC members expressed
confidence yesterday that Provitt will
follow the committee's recommen-
dations.
"I DON'T BELIEVE there should be
any worries whether Provitt will make
the right decisions," said PARC mem-
ber May Brimball.
Another task force assigned by
Milliken to investigage charges of
abuse at Plymouth and other state
mental institutions failed to reveal their
findings Monday. The task force,
headed by University School of
Education Dean Wilbur Cohen, was
formed by Milliken in early March and
was requested to have a detailed report
within 45 days. That period ended Mon-
day.
Also, William Womack, former direc-
tor at Plymouth, was told Monday by
the Department of Mental Health and
Governor Milliken's office that he has
until Jun 1 to resign or be fired from his
job with the DMH's Lansing office.
Womack was reassigned to Lansing
following a series of Detroit Free Press
articles which showed his coverup of
abuse at Plymouth. He was unavailable
for comment.
Poie
(Continued from Page 6)
with the murder of Thomas Brooks,
killed during the robbery of a grocery
store at 412 Michigan Ave. Brooks, 57,
was a co-owner of the store. He was
struck by a single shotgun blast, ap-
Just1A for the
health of it.
Physical Education Public nformation
American Allance for Health
Phyc Ecatona nd Rec on>
201 161h St N W Washhngton D C 20036
parently while resisting the holdup, and
died on the way to the hospital.
The robbers netted less than $500.
In Ann Arbor, a preliminary hearing
has been scheduled in the case of John
Baker, Jr., 36, charged with involun-
tary manslaughter in the death of
Jonathan Alvord.
Alvord was jogging on Geddes Rd. in
Ann Arbor Township last Saturday
night when a car driven by Baker
struck him from behind. The incident
occurred around 9 p.m. near the inter-
section of Geddes and Huron Parkway.
Baker was arrested and charged
Monday night, and freed yesterday on a
$1000 bond. A preliminary examination
has been set for May 10 in 14th District
Court.
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go away."
The five most dangerous words
in the English language.
Amercan Cancer SocietA
We want to cure cancer in your lifetime.
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Regrettably, thee were no
qualifed entries to the U. Cellar
bag contest.
Watch for new contest
in the fall.