I believe the "man in Fremont" may be an older gentleman who works on Featherweights. If so and you decide to buy a machine from him I can tell you it will be in perfect working condition. I know this gentleman and knows everything about Featherweights and takes pride in his machines and his workmanship. I know there are ones on Ebay that are cheaper, however, you may end up spending more money after the sale to have it cleaned and adjusted.
As far as your concern about the foot control the original foot pedal has a small button to run the machine. There are new replacement foot pedals that are wider and are much easier to control. That may help you