Villaraigosa Said to Be Near Naming Key Staff

Antonio Villaraigosa heads to Texas today to speak at his second out-of-state conference since his mayoral election, amid reports that he is close to naming some City Hall veterans to top positions on his staff.

Jimmy Blackman, chief of staff in Villaraigosa’s council office, confirmed that he would be part of the “leadership team” in the mayor’s office, but he declined to say in which position.

Villaraigosa will take office on July 1.

In addition, sources said Tuesday that the mayor-elect had been in discussion with Marcus Allen, chief of staff for City Controller Laura Chick, about a top job, possibly chief of staff. Chick and Allen decline to comment.

Another person mentioned as a possible candidate for the top position on the mayor’s staff was Carolyn Webb de Macias, vice president of external relations at USC. A member of Villaraigosa’s transition team, she was chief of staff to former City Councilman Mark Ridley-Thomas, who is now an assemblyman.

Joe Ramallo, a spokesman for the mayor-elect, declined to comment on the reports.

Villaraigosa, whose office has received more than 2,500 applications for positions in the new administration, spent Tuesday going over the names of people being considered for top jobs.

Villaraigosa, who spoke to two groups in Washington, D.C., earlier this month, flies this afternoon to Fort Worth to address the National Assn. of Hispanic Journalists and will return home Thursday.

He also spoke at a national conference of urban planners in Pasadena.