Newstead’s 11 water districts will be consolidated into one, effective Dec. 31, 2010, the Town Board agreed unanimously Monday night.

The action followed a public hearing on Nov. 9, when no opposition surfaced among the 20 people who attended.

The board decided that consolidating the districts — which vary in size — would simplify bookkeeping and budgeting and spread the cost of future expansions and repairs and operation and maintenance costs among all districts.

Each of the existing 11 districts will retain its own debt and fund balance.

In other business, the board held a public hearing on a special- use permit and site plan for Akron Animal Hospital for a new 4,300-square-foot facility in a commercial zone at 12638 Main Road. No one spoke at the hearing except representatives of the business, which, in addition to the veterinary practice, will include a canine day care facility.

The board is expected to act on the issue at its Dec. 14 meeting. The board also set a public hearing for 7:55 p. m. Dec. 14 on the proposed contracts with the Newstead and Akron Fire companies.

The contracts would run from Jan. 1 to Dec. 31, 2010. The estimated payment to Newstead Fire Company is $188,333; for Akron, $86,717. Copies of the contracts can be viewed at the town clerk’s office in Town Hall.

It also set two public hearings for Dec. 28. The first, at 7:40 p. m., is on a proposed amendment to the zoning law that would delete single and two-family residences as a permitted use on commercial zones one and two; allow sales and service of snowmobiles and off-road vehicles and warehouse distribution businesses within C-2 zones and clarify when 200 feet of frontage applies to used vehicle sales and service within a C-2 zone.

The second hearing, at 7:50

p. m., would amend the subdivision law to set a 30-day time limit for filing subdivision plans after they’ve been approved by the Planning or Town boards. If the plans are not filed within 30 days, the approval is voided.

The board also awarded an $11,200 contract to Empire Building Diagnostics to demolish a fire-damaged residence at 13414 Main Road.

It was the lowest of three bids. And the board approved Supervisor David Cummings’ appointment of Councilmanelect James Mayrose to the Akron Central School District’s Budget Advisory Committee.