Public officials from around the state will meet on campus Thursday to discuss the state’s preparedness for challenges such as avian flu and energy conservation.

The Iowa Community Conference, an annual meeting of community leaders from around Iowa’s 4th district to be held in the Scheman Building, will feature presentations from experts on avian flu, as well as telecommunications and energy conservation.

Ames Police Chief Loras Jaeger said the conference allows public officials from different communities to generate ideas together about how to react in the face of current obstacles. Jaeger said the avian flu discussion should prove useful to the Ames community.

“I’m especially interested in the pandemic planning discussion,” he said. “It’s helpful hearing what other communities do to prepare.”

Congressman Tom Latham, R-Iowa, hosts the conference every year, which is held alternately in Iowa and Washington, D.C. Latham represents Iowa’s 4th Congressional District, which includes Story County.

James Carstensen, press secretary, for Latham, said the first conference was held more than 60 years ago, and Latham has upheld the tradition since he was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1994.

The meeting helps shape Latham’s legislative agenda, Carstensen said.

“Congressman Latham invites community leaders to gather and discuss topics that are the most pressing to their cities and the state,” he said. “Sometimes for these meetings he’ll come away with ideas for legislation that needs to be addressed or legislative fixes that are brought up at the conference.”

He said Latham chose to hold the conference at Iowa State because of the university’s centralized location and premiere facilities.

Jaeger said Latham’s presence on the House Appropriations Committee adds more incentive for public officials to attend the conference.

“When you have a congressman at these meetings, you want to show up because they have a hand in directing funding toward certain areas,” he said.

Michele Wing, a regional representative for Latham, said the one-day meeting’s agenda was determined by Latham.

His staff based on input they received from their constituency.

“The agenda was put together according to items brought to the congressman’s attention,” Wing said.

She expects 70 community leaders to attend the conference, she said.