Beck had led the organization that manages the Kentucky Exposition Center since 2018, but his contract was rescinded before it could be renewed this year. The decision followed a Kentucky Supreme Court ruling placing authority over fair board appointments back in the hands of Gov. Andy Beshear.
Barbara Dickens, general counsel of the Finance and Administration Cabinet, offered this explanation for the voided contract.
"The finance secretary was asked to review the validity of that contract in light of the Kentucky Supreme Court decision in Beshear v. Coleman. We reviewed that contract in light of that Supreme Court decision and determined that the board that had voted to renew that contract was not constitutionally constituted and therefore did not have authority to renew it," she said.
State Sen. Stephen Meredith said the decision invites legal challenges and lamented the loss of Beck in the fair board position.
"My opinion, it sounds like a legal catch-22 and it's a very unfortunate situation and I'm ashamed that the commonwealth has treated a man who's dedicated a good portion of his life to serving the commonwealth... in this manner," he said.
A contract review committee voted in a symbolic gesture Tuesday not to rescind Beck's contract.
Beshear has described the former state fair head as uncooperative, stating that he had led a charge to prevent any form of accountability to the governor.