Our first DCV meeting since before the Old Fire started began at 12:39 PM with Matt, Scott, Laughing Bear, Wizard, Arizon Mike, Paul and Sycamore Laughing in attendance. It was a fine day with blue sky's and warm temps around the time of the meeting.

Issues dealt with were:

Item #1 - There are currently 23 members. An out of state member Vince made a donation of 100 dollars to the DCV group fund. Ron is keeping track of all donations and the fund is presently at $286.

Item #2 - While it was hard to wait for the re-opening of DCHS due to restriction emplimented after the Old Fire, it does seem that the communication process between our group and the USFS went well. Our groups involvement in letter writing, both as a group and as individual members, helped speed up the reopening. In the event of future closures, we may move more quickly to write letters. Its the groups feeling that due to the influence of interested parties, and the DCV activities, the USFS seeing our positive influence for the DCV area will be less apt to close the DCHS in view that if its kept open, we can continue to be involved in keeping the visitors informed and the area clean.

Item #3 - Friends of Juniper Flats Members ( FOJF ) deal with the BLM in thier activities and not the USFS. The BLM does not seem as interested in conservation as does the USFS. Various FOJF members are monitoring various areas of Juniper Flats, Arrastre Canyon and Grapevine Canyon. Illegal and damaging activities are being reported by the FOJF and other concerned citizens to the BLM. The USFS personnel with whom our members have spoken with express a high livel of concern about OHV tresspass into the USFS areas generally on the north side of the Deep Creek canyon around the DCHS area. The USFS would welcome any reports about illegal OHV activities in these areas. DCV and FOJF are separate groups who are working in two main areas. DCV concentrating on generally DCHS hotsprings and local area. FOFJ active in the watching over the Juniper Flats, Arrastre Canyon and Grapvine Canyon areas. These two groups may find it benificial at times to work together on certain issues.

Item # 4 - The group agreed that it would be benificial if some representatives of our DCV group could participate in the joint meeting of the conservation groups in the local area hosted by the Mohave Group of the Sierra Club, as long as we have 2 members able to attend. At this time Paul suggested that he could attend but no other members present at the meeting were able to commit at the time of the meeting. If any member wishes to attend this function with Paul, perhaps they could get word to Paul through Sycamore Laughing or Ron.

Item #5 - Ron showed all members a copy of the DCV Brochure with some revisions. We have not yet submitted these revisions to the USFS for approval. We did receive information from the USFS suggesting that we add a notation discussing the possibilities for significant flooding in the Deep Creek drainage which commonly occures after extended periods of heavy rain. All members present agreed that a notation regarding this should be added to our Brochure.

Item #6 - A News letter is being planned at this time. Ron suggested a peice could be written discussing what the winter time atmosphere of DCHS is like. Ron through deft " mind controll " hornswagled me into volunteering to writting this piece. There could be sections also written that discuss the other seasons of the year. Another section could discuss the feed back as told from the experiece of first time DCHS visitors. A news section could cover events such as the recent closure. Part could be devoted to our affiliate The Naturist Society ( TNS ). We would give our e-mail contact info as well as directions to our website pages.

Item #7 - The DCV group was contacted through e-mail buy a scout leader who wanted suggestions from us, or the USFS, of possibilites for community service projects thier scouts could perfom at DCHS, or in the immediate area.We can inform them of the FOJF Earth Day event on April 17th. Also we could coordinate a spring clean up day with the USFS and invite the scouts to join our efforts.

No other issues were brought up and the meeting adjourned at 1:41 PM. Two folks who are regulars to Blacks Beach, Claudia and her friend Dave showed up a the springs near the end of our meeting. Claudia sat in on our meeting to listen in for a bit. Claudia and Dave are active at Blacks Beach in activities similiar to what we do in DCV. Claudia travels alot and has been featured in the TNS quarterly magazine discussing various clothing optional destinations. Both of Claudia and Dave were enjoyed for thier ideas and friendliness. After the meeting most DCV members went to soak in the Arizona Pool for a good soak and further discussion. DCHS is in good shape currently with very minimal trash and the pools have been cleaned since the Xmas day storm. There is still some mud on the rocks around the Crab Cooker but since further flooding could bring more mud usually volunteers don't get to involved with removing unnessary mud in certain areas besides the pools themselves. Usually in the spring, once the weather settles down, more extensive cleaning can be done with the threat of further flooding not likely. It was great to be back at our special Oasis on my birthday, with good friends, soakin up the sun and enjoying DCHS's special ambience!