More than two years after Battle Creek first notified a property owner of zoning violations, the City is moving forward with enforcing a court judgment that has grown to more than $208,000.
The Battle Creek City Council emerged from closed session during its regular meeting Sept. 14 and voted to direct City Attorney Dennis Collins to proceed with finalizing the judgment against Patrick Jessen-McGrath “in the most expedient and economical manner.”
Nebraska court records show Jessen-McGrath has been found guilty of three infractions involving property at 54570 840th Road: a zoning violation involving a mobile home, a nuisance violation and abatement. City fines listed in the case total $208,000.01, along with $17 Jessen-McGrath was ordered to reimburse the City.
The action followed a lengthy discussion about nuisance properties throughout Battle Creek and how aggressively the City should enforce its ordinances.
Jessen-McGrath’s property is approximately a half-mile outside Battle Creek but falls within the City’s jurisdiction. Court documents identify both 54570 and 54564 840th Road and state the real estate lies within one-half mile of and adjacent to Battle Creek’s corporate boundaries.
Jessen-McGrath attended a portion of Monday’s meeting but left before the council discussed his property.
According to the complaint filed by the City, Jessen-McGrath placed a mobile home on property zoned I-Industrial, where mobile homes are not a permitted use. The complaint states he had been notified of the violation by letter dated June 21, 2024.
The City filed its case in Madison County Court July 29, 2025, alleging the zoning violation as well as violations involving weeds and a nuisance requiring abatement.
Court records show Jessen-McGrath pleaded not guilty but was ultimately found guilty on all three counts.
The case did not end there. Jessen-McGrath challenged the ruling, and the case was eventually mandated May 22, 2026. A June 22 entry from court staff specifically notes the judgment carries a $500-per-day fine beginning Nov. 17, 2025.
The court’s current case summary lists a $99,999 City fine for the zoning violation, $95,001 for the nuisance violation and $13,000.01 for abatement.
At Monday’s council meeting, Collins said the City now has to decide how to collect on that judgment and resolve the property itself.
“Just so everybody knows, the City has a judgment against Mr. McGrath,” Collins said. “This judgment required him to clean up his property, not have a trailer.”
City Administrator Michael Fleer said
