Conduit Street Podcast

Latest Episodes:

Water, PFAS, and Climate Resilience: What Counties Need to Know Dec 24, 2025

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In this episode of the Conduit Street Podcast, our host Dominic Butchko is joined by Zach Schafer, Assistant Secretary at the Maryland Department of the Environment, for a wide-ranging conversation on the environmental issues shaping county decision-making ahead of the 2026 General Assembly session.

Drawing on his experience at both the federal and state levels, including time at the U.S. EPA, Schafer discusses the growing focus on PFAS, what counties need to know about emerging drinking water standards, and why local governments often serve as passive recipients of contamination. The conversation also explores water infrastructure funding, producer responsibility, and the practical realities of implementing environmental policy closer to the ground.

The discussion extends to climate change and resilience, including flood risk, stormwater management, housing development, and the importance of investing in prevention rather than recovery. Throughout the episode, Schafer emphasizes collaboration, data-driven decision-making, and the critical partnership between state and county governments in protecting public health and natural resources.

Tune in for a thoughtful, practical discussion grounded in local government realities.

From Policy to Progress: What’s Next for School Construction With Alex Donahue Dec 19, 2025

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Recorded live at MACo’s 2025 Winter Conference, this episode features an in-depth, candid conversation with Alex Donahue, Executive Director of the Interagency Commission on School Construction (IAC), on one of the most pressing challenges facing Maryland counties: school construction.

Joined by MACo Executive Director Michael Sanderson, Donahue breaks down why school construction costs have risen dramatically, how inflation and funding constraints are straining both state and local budgets, and what the growing backlog of projects means for students, counties, and communities across Maryland.

The discussion explores the realities behind capital funding, the limits of existing state programs, the increasing pressure on counties to forward-fund projects, and why collaboration between counties, school systems, and the state is more critical than ever. Donahue also outlines emerging strategies, from energy efficiency and total cost of ownership to flexible facility planning, that can help counties navigate today’s challenges while planning responsibly for the future.

This live Winter MACoCon session offers valuable insight for county leaders, policymakers, and anyone invested in the long-term sustainability of Maryland’s public-school infrastructure.

Professor Todd Eberly on “Interesting Times” in MD Politics Dec 05, 2025

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As Maryland heads into a challenging budget year and an election cycle legislative session, Professor Todd Eberly of St. Mary’s College of Maryland joins the Conduit Street Podcast to unpack the forces shaping the state’s political and economic landscape.

Kevin Kinnally and Michael Sanderson talk with Prof. Eberly about the ripple effects of federal government shutdowns, trade and tariff policy, disaster aid, Medicaid funding, and the growing strain on Maryland’s budget outlook. The conversation also explores Maryland’s $1.4 billion projected budget shortfall, the pressure on education and healthcare funding, and how election year dynamics complicate tough fiscal decisions.

Listen in for a wide-ranging, practical look at what’s ahead for Maryland and its counties.

Housing in 2026: Counties Come to the Table With Solutions Nov 20, 2025

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Housing will take center stage in the 2026 legislative session, and counties are ready. This week, Kevin Kinnally, Michael Sanderson, and Dom Butchko walk through MACo's major legislative initiative, the BAMBY Act (Build Affordably in My Backyard).

Together they trace the recent history of housing policy in Maryland, unpack the 2025 session, and outline the solutions counties are bringing to the table this year - including zoning flexibility, infrastructure alignment, regulatory certainty, and strategic tools to support affordability across the state.
Tying everything together, Dom explains how counties spent time gathering input from all 24 jurisdictions and why 2026 could be the year meaningful housing reforms move forward. A must-listen for anyone tracking housing, smart growth, infrastructure, land use, and county–state collaboration in Annapolis.

See the accompanying Policy Deep Dive: Solutions to Address Maryland’s Housing Crisis

Cybersecurity, AI Bots & Public Records: What Counties Need to Know Nov 14, 2025

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In this week's episode of the Conduit Street Podcast, Karrington Anderson talks with Sarah Sample to break down the rapidly evolving world of Public Information Act (PIA) requests in Maryland and why counties are feeling the pressure. They talk through the effects of the rise of automated and anonymous AI-generated PIA requests, cybersecurity threats entering through the request funnel, and how counties are navigating challenges the law never anticipated.
Sarah breaks down the recent recommendations from the Public Information Act Compliance Board, the expanded role of the Public Access Ombudsman, and how technology - from cloud storage to body-worn camera footage - has drastically reshaped the request and fulfillment process. With the 2026 Maryland Legislative Session fast approaching, this timely conversation explores where policy, transparency, and technological realities collide.

Hot Takes: Shutdowns, SNAP, and the State of Countyland Nov 07, 2025

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This week on the Conduit Street Podcast, Kevin Kinnally, Michael Sanderson, and Karrington Anderson debut a new recurring segment – Conduit StreetPodcast Hot Takes, where our hosts break down what’s “news” and what’s just… “noise” in Maryland policy and politics.

In this episode, the trio tackles the ongoing federal government shutdown, exploring how it’s straining Maryland’s economy, threatening food assistance programs like SNAP, and testing the resilience of counties caught in the crossfire. From back pay for federal workers to state-level stopgaps and county-level ripple effects, our hosts give their candid takes on the headlines everyone’s talking about.

It’s Maryland politics meets sports radio – sharp, insightful, a dash of quick takes, and a sprinkle of friendly banter.

Was it "fire" or just "chopped"? Either way, here are notes from the show:
‘SNL’ parodies ‘fire’ Maryland teen podcasters and their veggie-hating vibes
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Pitching Policy & Fielding a Federal Shutdown - A DC View with Congressman Johnny O Oct 30, 2025

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This week on the Conduit Street Podcast, Kevin Kinnally and Michael Sanderson sit down with Congressman Johnny Olszewski, Jr., a former Maryland Delegate, Baltimore County Executive, and 2025 MACo President, now serving Maryland’s Second Congressional District.

Congressman Olszewski discusses the federal shutdown and the strain it places on Maryland communities, particularly those where federal pay and services are a significant anchor to local economies. He emphasizes the need for practical, bipartisan work when residents feel the pressure in real time.

We discuss the transition from local executive leadership to Congress, the contrast between county governance and Washington, DC, and how hands-on service back home influences decision-making in a polarized federal environment.

The discussion explores the "shock factor" of DC politics, the pace and tone shift from county governance, and the importance of staying grounded and focused on residents during uncertain times.

Contact Congressman Johnny Olszewski, Jr.

A Seat at the Table: MACo's 24-County Tour Hits St Mary's Oct 10, 2025

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This week on the Conduit Street Podcast, Michael Sanderson...goes solo? Just kidding! He does set the stage, however, for a special recording from St. Mary’s County, where MACo President and Queen Anne’s County Commissioner Jack Wilson joins Michael for a briefing with St. Mary’s County leaders to talk all things local governance.

It’s a lively, conversation that hits the big levers counties are wrestling with right now: the State’s recent cost shifts (from tens of millions in teacher pensions to new assessment admin bills and even wrongful-conviction settlements), housing reform prospects that could realign local permitting and narrow public-input windows, and energy siting fights where Public Service Commission preemption leaves counties with a “weak hand” on large solar projects.

They also touch on the federal shutdown’s local ripple effects. If you want a real-world snapshot of budgets, Blueprint pressures, housing, and energy, all through a county lens, this field episode is for you.

Keeping the Lights On: Maryland, PJM, and the Future of Energy Oct 03, 2025

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This week on the Conduit Street Podcast, Dominic Butchko sits down with Jason Stanek of PJM Interconnection for a deep dive into Maryland’s evolving energy landscape. From the state’s growing dependence on imported electricity to the backlog of clean energy projects waiting to connect to the grid, Jason breaks down the challenges and opportunities shaping Maryland’s energy future. The conversation explores how PJM keeps the lights on across 13 states and D.C., and what counties need to know about transmission planning and siting. Tune in to learn how local governments fit into this complex puzzle and what reforms are on the horizon to speed up renewable energy deployment and strengthen the grid.

Revenues, Roads, and Rising Risks Sep 26, 2025

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This week on the Conduit Street Podcast, Kevin Kinnally and Michael Sanderson unpack Maryland’s fiscal outlook. They break down the State’s year-end budget results, the new revenue forecast, and looming structural deficits. They also dig into the crunch in transportation funding — with local road dollars set to plunge off a fiscal cliff — the threat of a federal shutdown, and the squeeze these pressures put on county budgets and the services residents rely on.

Previous Conduit Street Coverage:

State Revenue Update: Tepid Growth, Outlook Weakens

Maryland’s FY25 Surplus Sets Stage for Deficit Years Ahead

State Highway Administration Shifted $359M to Conceal Transportation Fund Shortfall, Audit Finds

MD Comptroller: OBBB Triggers Volatility in State, Local Revenues

Federal Government Shutdown Odds Rise, Maryland Faces Big Risks