ROCHESTER — The Board of Selectmen accepted the resignation of two key players in town government on Monday night.

Laurell Farinon, who has served as the town’s environmental planner and conservation agent for 27 years, and Town Planner Steven Starrett will both depart before the end of the fiscal year, leaving two town government positions vacant.

“It really stinks to lose that kind of institutional knowledge,” Selectman Brad Morse said, particularly that of Farinon who has been a presence on the Conservation Commission for as long as some Selectmen could remember.

The Selectmen agreed that the major personnel change might bring with it an opportunity to reevaluate the town’s approach to the planning and conservation roles, though, “now that they are both open together as one package.” Farinon and Starrett will be involved in discussions regarding future planning and conservation priorities ahead of their departures and before the open positions are advertised.

“This is a monumental change time,” Morse said as Selectmen accepted the resignations and thanked both Farinon and Starrett for their service.