(a) Upon his own motion or the motion of the parties, the hearing examiner may direct the parties or their counsel to meet with him for a conference to consider:

1. (1) Simplification of the issues;
2. (2) Necessity or desirability of amendments to pleadings for purposes of clarification, simplification, or limitation;
3. (3) Stipulations, admissions of fact and of contents and authenticity of documents;
4. (4) Limitation of the number of expert witnesses; and
5. (5) Such other matters as may tend to expedite the disposition of the proceeding.