Norristown council approves commemorative plaque, AED stand at Simmons Park for Robert “Rob” Hill

Norristown Municipal Council on Tuesday approved Resolution 25-74 to place a commemorative plaque and an AED stand at Simmons Park dedicating the basketball courts to Robert “Rob” Hill and to hold a dedication on Oct. 18, 2025. The vote to authorize the plaque and related park work passed by roll call. The council also discussed how an AED will be stored and used during events.

The resolution follows a request from state Representative Greg Scott and remarks from Hill’s mother, Bena Bennett, asking the council to honor Hill’s life and to improve public safety after several youths in Norristown died suddenly while playing sports. Representative Greg Scott said the plaque and AED are “part of a larger effort to protect our youth” and urged an affirmative vote.

Council discussion focused less on whether to honor Hill and more on process and safety. Council members asked how the AED would be secured and whether leaving it in the park could risk theft. Municipal staff said an AED stand will be installed and alarmed; the plan is not to leave the AED in the stand permanently except during tournaments or other major events. Park and Recreation staff will maintain the device and make it available when events have staff present. A municipal official noted that modern AEDs will not deliver a shock unless they detect a shockable rhythm.

Council members also raised procedural questions about precedent and fairness for other families seeking memorials on public land. Officials said the borough’s ordinance is silent on a memorial-plaque policy and that a written policy is being drafted and will be routed to legal for review. Council members said they supported both recognizing Hill and drafting clearer procedures for future memorial requests.

The plaque will be a 20-by-14-inch plate mounted on a stand with a footprint under 6 inches; the stand itself will be permanently installed in the ground. The resolution specifies the installation method but does not rename Simmons Park — the action is a dedication of the basketball courts and will be accompanied by a tournament and a planned dedication ceremony on Oct. 18, 2025. Public Works will install the stand and Park and Recreation will manage placement of the AED during events.

A roll call following the motion recorded votes in favor by Councilmembers Dustin Queenan, William McCoy, Adira Robinson, Jasmine Griffin, Natalie Colson and Rebecca Smith; the chair announced the ayes had it and the resolution was approved. Officials said legal and administrative staff will supply a formal memorial policy so future requests follow a posted process.

Details left unspecified in the resolution include any ongoing maintenance costs for the plaque and whether the council will create a formal process to limit the number of future stands or to require interchangeable plaques; the solicitor and administration were directed to return with recommended policy language.

Why this matters: The action honors a local youth athlete and adds a life-saving device to a public recreation site, while prompting the council to create clearer rules for memorials so similar requests in the future can be handled consistently.