The Chelsea City Council took a step toward forcing the developer of the Covington Place subdivision to repair the neighborhood’s roads during its May 4 meeting.

The council voted unanimously to allow Chelsea Mayor Earl Niven to take “whatever necessary action” to force neighborhood developer Lynal Chappell to repair damaged roads in the subdivision.

During the council’s April 20 meeting, Niven asked Chappell’s attorney, Laurie Sharp, to schedule a meeting with him at City Hall. As of May 4, Sharp had not contacted the city, Niven said.

“We gave them a deadline to communicate with us, and they have not,” Niven said. “We are going forward to ensure the people in that neighborhood have proper streets.”

Because the neighborhood roads are severely worn, garbage trucks and school buses have refused to drive on them until they are repaired, said Councilman Mike Denton.

“This road has potholes that would swallow a car,” Denton said. “Trash services and school buses have stopped service on those roads. That is a totally unacceptable situation.”

“That is not what we want our city to be known as,” Niven said.

In other business, the council:

Approved a resolution to install a three-way stop at the intersection of Woodbridge Trail and Woodbridge Trace in the Cameron Woods subdivision.

Agreed to annex about 0.2 acres at 362 Forest Lakes Drive.

Heard from Miss Chelsea Area, Sara Catherine Short, who will be competing in the Miss Alabama Pageant in June.

Short, who will graduate from Auburn University this month, is running on a platform called “Readers to Leaders,” which will promote reading among the nation’s youth.