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City shifts lodging-tax application timeline and expands passport service days
Summary
Yelm will move lodging-tax (LTAC) grant applications to the fall for the next funding year and is offering expanded passport service days to increase access, city staff said June 24.
City staff told the Yelm City Council on June 24 they will change the Lodging Tax Advisory Committee (LTAC) application schedule and begin holding periodic passport service days to expand public access.
Kathy said the LTAC timeline will move to a fall application cycle to give applicants more time before events and to align with budget planning: applications will open in August 2025, close Sept. 1, be reviewed by LTAC in September and come to council in October for funding decisions for 2026.
Kathy said she has emailed recent awardees to alert them to the change and will send reminders before the new application window opens.
Court staff said the city will pilot expanded passport service days — "passport fairs" — to increase weekend access; staff plan additional full-day passport events and encouraged residents to register for time slots. Staff said the passport book fee is set by the U.S. Department of State at about $110 and the city processing fee is $35, for a combined total of roughly $145 that applicants should expect to pay; passport applications must be paid by check or money order for the Department of State portion.
Council members asked operational questions about photo services and locations. Court staff said the first full-day passport event will be held on a Sunday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the public safety building and that future changes such as in-house photo services will be evaluated after demand is measured.
