# Republicans postpone review of a contract with interim president of Kentucky State Fair **Published:** 2026-07-08T16:39:57.000Z **Source:** [Kentucky Lantern](https://kentuckylantern.com/2026/07/08/republicans-postpone-review-of-a-contract-with-interim-president-of-kentucky-state-fair/) **Republished from:** [Kentucky Lantern](https://kentuckylantern.com/2026/07/08/republicans-postpone-review-of-a-contract-with-interim-president-of-kentucky-state-fair/) (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0) **Canonical:** https://kentuckylantern.com/2026/07/08/republicans-postpone-review-of-a-contract-with-interim-president-of-kentucky-state-fair/ By McKenna Horsley, [Kentucky Lantern](https://kentuckylantern.com) · July 8, 2026 Republicans on a legislative committee on Wednesday deferred review of a contract with the interim president and CEO of the Kentucky State Fair who was installed by Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear’s latest appointees to the fair board last week. The Government Contract Review Committee will review the contract during its Aug. 11 meeting — days before the Kentucky State Fair will begin in Louisville. [](https://kentuckylantern.com/2025/12/11/questionable-testing-waivers-put-kys-licensing-of-optometrists-under-scrutiny/meredith030725-2/)Sen. Stephen Meredith, R-Leitchfield. (LRC Public Information) Sen. Stephen Meredith, R-Leitchfield, said representatives of the State Fair Board and the Kentucky Finance Administration Cabinet were requested to attend the meeting and answer questions about the contract, but they were not present. Meredith said the fair board deferred questions to the cabinet, and the cabinet did not attend the meeting because it received less than 48 hours notice. He also said that the cabinet said “there is no contract.” Last week, the [Kentucky State Fair Board](https://kentuckylantern.com/2026/07/02/after-supreme-court-decision-beshears-kentucky-state-fair-board-removes-ceo/)removed David Beck as president and CEO of Kentucky Venues, the organization that oversees the fair, and appointed Mike Berry as interim president and CEO. The move came after the [Kentucky Supreme Court](https://kentuckylantern.com/2026/06/26/kentucky-supreme-court-backs-beshear-over-gop-lawmakers-efforts-to-move-executive-powers/) ruled a 2021 state law shifting control of the State Fair Board from the governor to the agriculture commissioner was unconstitutional. According to a [YouTube video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DHwfzkgQN58) of the fair board meeting that was initially not available online, the board approved a contract with Berry. The Lantern emailed spokespeople for the Finance and Administration Cabinet and the Fair Board for comment Wednesday. “It’s very disturbing that this action was taken, particularly with a board that’s been very successful over the years, and the executive director has been very successful at expanding the revenues for our state fair and convention center to record levels, but yet they’re all terminated,” Meredith said Wednesday. According to the [committee’s meeting materials](https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/moreinfo/Contracts/2004%20Keifer%20Data%20Base/PSC%20Amendments/260700.pdf), the two-year contract from July 2026 to June 2028 is for $440,000. The description says the amount isn’t an increase or decrease, but the contract was prompted by the recent Supreme Court decision. Two Democrats on the committee, Senate Minority Caucus Chair Reggie Thomas, of Lexington, and Rep. Rachel Roarx, of Louisville, voted to not defer the contract until the next meeting. Thomas said Beshear’s action was “certainly legal and appropriate, and if the governor reconfigures or reconstitutes a board and someone has to go off, then that’s his decision or her decision.” [](https://kentuckylantern.com/2025/03/06/relief-for-missed-school-days-in-doubt-after-picking-up-surprise-addition-in-ky-senate/kentucky-lrc-public-information-3/)Sen. Reggie Thomas, D-Lexington. (LRC Public Information) However, some Republicans have argued the decision isn’t final. Under [court rules](https://www.kycourts.gov/Courts/Supreme-Court/Supreme%20Court%20Orders/202249.pdf), parties may have until July 15 to seek a rehearing on last week’s decision. Republican Attorney General Russell Coleman told the Lantern last week his office was reviewing the opinion with other constitutional officers “to determine next steps.” The House co-chair of the committee, Rep. Mark Hart, R-Falmouth, said his vote to defer the contract was because he wanted an explanation from representatives of Beshear’s administration during the meeting. “They could have come in front of us and explain there was no contract, but they chose not to,” Hart said. “They ignored us, they showed us no respect, because we are a separate branch government, just like theirs.” Beshear said in a press conference last week he was supportive of the decision to remove Beck, adding that he “was not willing to work with me, and made that pretty clear” and had “led a charge to prevent any form of accountability from a governor.” ## Sources - [Kentucky Lantern](https://kentuckylantern.com/2026/07/08/republicans-postpone-review-of-a-contract-with-interim-president-of-kentucky-state-fair/)