Two police officers in the Kennett Square Police Department were promoted to the position of corporal on Monday night.

Kennett Square Borough Council formally approved the promotions of officers Andrew Manko and Kenneth Rongaus after a months-long process to identify the best candidates for the leadership roles in the department. Mayor Matt Fetick swore in the officers to their new positions, and police chief Bill Holdsworth briefly outlined the backgrounds of Rongaus and Manko, and why they were selected to the leadership roles in the department.

Rongaus was first hired by the Kennett Square Police Department in August of 2006, and he transitioned to a full-time position in May of 2007. He was assigned to the role of detective in 2016, and he will be a detective corporal as a result of the most recent promotion.

Manko started with the police department in 2009. In 2011, he was assigned to serve on the Chester County Emergency Response Team. He was recently designated as a team leader with the Chester County Emergency Response Team, and will now serve Kennett Square as the patrol corporal.

Both Manko and Rongaus were lauded for their work with the Kennett Square Police Department, and for the roles that they have played in keeping the community safe.

“Both of these men exemplify what community police officers can and should be,” said council member Ethan Cramer.

“Kennett Square should be proud of the men and women who serve in the police department,” said Fetick, whose duties as mayor include overseeing the operations of the police department. “There isn't an officer in the department who, I believe, isn't a leader.”

In other business at the meeting, borough council approved a new memorandum of understanding with the Chester County Public Safety Training Center Firing Range. The borough's police officers utilize the firing range to train to do their jobs.

Cramer, a member of the borough's Public Safety Committee, said that the training that the officers receive is important to ensure that Kennett Square receives the kind of policing services that it wants and needs.

Borough council approved a bid award for the Birch Street water main replacement project. Borough manager Joseph Scalise said that the bids were opened on March 30, as had been scheduled, and Stevens Excavating had the lowest bid that met the specifications for the project. The amount for the project is slightly more than $339,000. Scalise explained that Stevens Excavating has done some work on smaller projects for the borough in the past, and has done well. The borough's engineers reviewed the bid. Borough council approved the bid award, contingent on clarifying some minor issues with the paperwork.

A resolution to establish parliamentary authority as the rule of council was tabled until May so that council members can research the issue a little bit more.

Borough council approved the Special Event application for this year's Art on the Square, which will take place on Saturday, April 28.

Kennett Square Borough Council will meet again on Monday, April 16.