CHELSEA (AP) — Gov. Deval Patrick is asking the state’s highest court to appoint an independent receiver to run the Chelsea Housing Authority.

The move comes after Patrick called for all five members of the board to resign after The Boston Globe revealed that the authority’s former director Michael McLaughlin had been receiving an annual salary of $360,000.

McLaughlin also stepped down.

Patrick said a court appointed receiver would ensure the effective operations of the housing authority until a new board can take control.

Patrick had called McLaughlin’s salary “outrageous,” especially at a time when public housing is being flat-funded during a down economy.

The governor also temporarily froze state funding to the agency because McLaughlin allegedly deliberately underreported his pay to the state.

Patrick has also called for formal investigations into the authority.

Copyright 2011 The Associated Press.