Whenever necessary material for making or repairing any highway in any town cannot be obtained without great inconvenience from land sequestered for highways but may be found on land abutting on the highway, other than in a home lot, the selectmen of such town may take such material from such land on payment to the owner thereof of a reasonable compensation therefor to be ascertained before any such taking, either by agreement between the selectmen and such owner or by the same proceedings as are provided in § 13a-84. After such compensation has been so determined, such material shall not be taken until the town in lawful town meeting has approved the transaction, if the owner of such material, within one month thereafter, makes a request in writing to the selectmen that the town shall take action thereon.