CHAMPAIGN — Should mail-cancellation services in Champaign be moved to Springfield and Bloomington?

The U.S. Postal Service has been studying that question for several months, and recommendations could be made in the next couple weeks, a postal service spokesman said Tuesday.

"The study is still under review at the district level," said Jim Mruk, a spokesman for the postal service's Great Lakes Area.

"If the district recommends the study be submitted to the area for further review, we will schedule a public meeting," Mruk said.

The Postal Service announced in late January it would study whether it makes sense to consolidate some operations from Champaign's processing and distribution facility into those at Bloomington and Springfield.

A month later, the Postal Service announced it would also study whether some operations in Rockford should be consolidated at Carol Stream.

The moves are associated with a drastic drop in mail volume.

"An unprecedented decline in mail volume has occurred the last five years, with 42.5 billion fewer pieces of mail in the system," Mruk said. "That's about a 20 percent decline since 2006, when there were 213 billion pieces of mail."

Even though Mruk said recommendations on the Champaign facility could come in the next couple weeks, he said a recent change in administrative structure could throw off that timetable.

The Champaign facility recently became part of the Postal Service's Gateway District, based in St. Louis. Previously, it was part of the Central Illinois District, based in Bedford Park.

Mruk said he didn't know what written comments had been received from the public about the possible change in Champaign. But he said such comments usually include "concerns about service."

Unions representing some Postal Service employees have expressed concerns that moving mail-cancellation services from Champaign could lead to longer processing and delivery times and to some people losing their jobs.

But Mruk said if operations were shifted elsewhere, "no career employee would be laid off. They would be offered other jobs within the Postal Service."

As for processing times, Mruk claimed that in all cases where Area Mail Processing studies have been implemented, service standards have been maintained or improved.

But he noted that not all studies ended up being implemented.

The study regarding the Champaign facility is subject to several layers of review, Mruk said.

If the Gateway District recommends the study for further review, area residents and businesses will get a chance to comment at a public meeting.

Their comments — and the recommendations — would then be reviewed by area officials. If area officials concur with the district's findings, they would forward the study to officials in Washington for further review.