A report in St. Louis says the state has given and renewed a $12-Million contract for advising and staffing the Bellefontaine Habilitation Center without taking bids. That’s the state mental health facility the Blunt Administration wants to close. The St. Louis Post-Dispatch says the contract with the Columbus Organization began in October of 2004 under the Holden Administration and has been continued by the Blunt Administration although Governor Matt Blunt has called for closing the center. A spokesman for the agency has told the Post-Dispatch the contract was issued because of an immediate need to invetigate allegations of abuse of patients by center employees. The newspaper has asked for documentation showing the work done by the consulting company, but the Department has not provided it.