Las Vegas gets awards for art, military program

The city of Las Vegas has received awards for its public arts endeavors and for a program that helps employees called to active duty military service.

On Monday, Mayor Oscar Goodman accepted the Public Leadership in the Arts award at the U.S. Conference of Mayors meeting in Miami.

The award recognized efforts to use the arts to boost downtown revitalization.

Goodman backed new zoning rules that allow artist live/work spaces downtown, for example, and the city has a program that sets aside 1 percent of the city's capital budget for public art.

Last week, the city received the Secretary of Defense Employer Support Freedom Award for a program that ensures city employees don't face a pay cut when called to active duty in the armed forces.

The city council passed an enhanced military leave program in 2001.

It makes up the difference between an employee's military pay and his or her base city wage and allows the employee to continue to participate in city retirement plans and health, disability and life insurance.

So far, 25 city employees have used the program.