Let's Connect

Regional mayors come together to talk through the financial challenges facing their communities. Host Kristina Egan speaks with Portland Mayor Mark Dion, South Portland Mayor Elyse Tipton, Saco Mayor Jodie MacPhail, and Biddeford’s newly elected mayor, Liam LaFountain.

Are you thinking about building an accessory dwelling unit in your backyard? Host Tom Bell talks with some experts: Matt Grooms, deputy planning director of the Planning & Economic Urban Development Dept. for the City of Portland , Portland Press Herald reporter Hannah LaClaire , who has been doing extensive reporting about ADUs for an upcoming story, and Austin Gregory, Chief of Operations &a...

Host Tom Bell sits down with Kayla Lewis to explore the real-world impacts of the digital divide and the ongoing effort to expand broadband access across southern Maine. Kayla shares what it means to be on the front lines of digital equity—helping people navigate essential tasks like applying for jobs, housing, and benefits in an increasingly online world. While she’s not a policymaker or engineer...

Host Kristina Egan brings together two leaders at the forefront of Maine’s housing solutions—Tuck O’Brien with Maine Redevelopment and Jennifer Hawkins with Avesta Housing —for a timely conversation on how the state can address its housing shortage. The episode explores innovative policy ideas, including legislation that would help communities convert vacant and underused schools into much-needed...

Host Belinda Ray sits down with Kevin Kraft, Director of Planning and Urban Development for the City of Portland, to explore the relationship between tall buildings and sustainability. As Portland considers a proposed 30-story tower in the Old Port, the conversation dives into public reaction, concerns about the changing skyline, and whether building taller buildings can reduce sprawl, car depende...

At the ClimateWork Maine Summit in Portland on March 19, 2026  host Kristina Egan sits down with Bob Keefe, a national climate advocate and Executive Director of E2—a nonpartisan network of business leaders, investors, and professionals working across sectors to advance policies that strengthen both the economy and the environment. In 2025, Time  magazine named Keefe one of the nation’s top 100 cl...

Host Kristina Egan is joined by Aaron Chadbourne of Demetria Real Estate for a wide-ranging conversation on the state of the region’s housing market. Together, they explore the factors driving up the cost of housing and the policy changes that could make housing affordable for more families. Produced by Greater Portland Council of Governments Edited by C.Carter First broadcast on WMPG.

Host Kristina Egan  speaks with Nathan Davis , Executive Director of Gateway Community Services Maine, and Cary Tyson , Executive Director of Portland Downtown , about how federal immigration enforcement activity is affecting businesses, workers, and families across the Greater Portland region. Drawing on results from a recent survey of more than 240 local businesses, the conversation explores how...

Host Tom Bell digs into the $25 million Portland Harbor dredging project now underway—why it matters for the working waterfront, what’s being done about contaminated sediments, and how the project is being managed and funded. Joining the conversation are Heather Moretti, the City of Portland’ s new Waterfront Coordinator, and Mike Doan, Staff Scientist at Friends of Casco Bay , who explain the saf...

Host Kristina Egan  sits down with Samantha Horn , Director of the M aine Office of Community Affairs —a new state office created to help communities access coordinated planning support, technical assistance, and resources. Together, they unpack what how the agency can help local leaders and volunteers tackle real-world challenges, from capacity constraints in small towns to building strong partne...

Host Andrew Clark sits down with Mike Tremblay, Director of Transit Development at Greater Portland Metro , for a wide-ranging update on what’s new—and what’s next—for public transportation in the region. They dig into the impact of the South Portland–Metro merger one year in. The conversation then turns to Metro’s plans to expand service in Scarborough, including plans for both fixed-route and mi...

Host Kristina Egan  sits down with Bill Needelman , the former Waterfront Coordinator for the City of Portland, Maine, for a big-picture conversation about how Portland’s working waterfront has evolved over the past 25 years — and what it’s taken to protect one of the region’s most vital economic and cultural assets. From innovative zoning policies and mixed-use piers to global trade connections,...

Host  Tom Bell talks with Portland Water District General Manager Scott Firmin and filmmakers Alexander Wolf Lewis and Kaitlyn Schwalje.  Alex and Kaitlyn are the creators of the feature-length documentary Unless Something Goes Terribly Wrong —an informative, funny, and surprisingly heart-warming look inside Portland’s wastewater treatment plant. The film follows a ragtag crew of engineers, mechan...

Across Greater Portland, the push to build more housing often runs into a less visible but critical challenge: infrastructure. In this episodehost Kristina Egan is joined by Emily Cole-Prescott, Assistant City Administrator for the City of Saco, and Jennie Franceschi, Director of Planning & Code Enforcement for the City of Westbrook, for a practical, on-the-ground conversation about what it re...

Host Kristina Egan sits down with House Speaker Ryan Fecteau to explore legislative priorities in an election year, including efforts to lower the property tax burden and address the loss of federal funding for programs that help Mainers pay for food, childcare, and health care. They discuss the realities of bipartisan governing — all with a focus on what these decisions mean for everyday Mainers.

Host Kristina Egan is joined by Brett Frank, Deputy Director of Public Works in Scarborough; Mike Murray, Director of Public Works for the City of Portland; and Caity Hager, Portland’s Emergency Management Coordinator to unpack how plowing decisions are made, why parking bans matter, how roads are treated, what causes delays, and how communities plan for emergencies before a storm even hits.  

Host Tom Bell explores how Accessory Dwelling Units are helping Maine homeowners navigate the state’s housing affordability crisis. He talks with two local residents—Mark Baker of Portland and Keri Ouellette of South Portland—who have each built an ADU for different reasons. Mark Baker and his wife, Lynn, recently retired and wanted to move from Fresno, California, to Portland, Maine, to be closer...

Host Kristia Egan explores how schools across Maine are going greener—cutting energy use, improving air quality, and giving students hands-on lessons in sustainability. Dr. Glenn Cummings, Director of Green Schools for the Maine Department of Education , shares how the state’s new initiative is transforming everything from leadership practices to building systems, highlighting innovative projects...

Host Kristina Egan explores the growing urgency of keeping our unhoused neighbors safe as winter approaches.   Joined by Portland Mayor Mark Dion, Portland Downtown Executive Director Cary Tyson, and Westbrook Housing Director John Concannon, the conversation explores the pressure on Portland’s shelter system, the need for more day space resources, and the financial strains municipalities face in...

Host Tom Bell heads out on Casco Bay—at least in spirit—to explore the Heron , the largest electric aquaculture workboat in Maine and maybe the nation. Built through a multi-year collaboration among local innovators, Heron is transforming oyster farming with cleaner, quieter, zero-emission technology that offers a glimpse into the future of Maine’s working waterfront. Tom is joined by Nick Planson...

Host Tom Bell talks with leaders from two Maine industries about how they’re turning sustainability into opportunity. Jason Perkins, Brewmaster at Allagash Brewing Company , explains how the brewery’s B Corp values drive efficiency and partnerships with local farmers. And Briana Warner, Vice President of Marketing and Strategy at Mark Foods —the new owner of Bristol Seafood —describes how Maine’s...

Host Kristina Egan talks with Phil Devlin, Vice Chair of the Harrison Selectboard, and South Portland City Councilor Linda Cohen and about why more people should consider running for local office. They discuss what motivates people to step into public service, the challenges and rewards of local leadership, and how ordinary residents can make a meaningful difference in their communities. 

Host Kristina Egan speaks with Saco Mayor Jodi MacPhail and Biddeford City Administrator Truc Dever about how their neighboring cities are growing, investing in infrastructure, and strengthening regional collaboration. They discuss the essential role of roads, stormwater systems, broadband, and public facilities in shaping the future, and the opportunities that come from sharing services and worki...

Host Tom Bell explores one of Maine’s most vital yet often overlooked landscapes—its salt marshes.  Guests Jeremy Gabrielson from the Maine Coast Heritage Trust and landscape architect Mitchell Rasor talk about why marshes matter, the risks they face from rising seas, and what ’s being done to restore them.

Host Kristina Egan talks with Andre Briere, the new executive director of the Maine Turnpike Authority. A Seattle native and Air Force veteran, Briere brings nearly three decades of leadership experience, including his time as New Hampshire’s deputy transportation commissioner, to guide the future of Maine’s busiest highway. The conversation explores his vision for the turnpike—centered on transpa...