WAWARSING – Even though it has been over 30 days since the judge handed down the decision to dismiss ShopRite's lawsuit against Walmart and the Town of Wawarsing, it seems as though the window in which the supermarket franchise could appeal the decision hasn't even been opened yet, let alone closed.

Apparently, attorneys for Walmart have yet to file a notice of entry with the court — basically a legal way of notifying the court and the other attorneys involved in a lawsuit that they have received the judgment. Only after the notice is filed will ShopRite be able to file its appeal of the decision.

It's not yet known what steps ShopRite will take.

"I don't have anything to tell you yet," said ShopRite spokesperson Karen Meleta last Friday. "The decision hasn't been made at this point, but I will keep you posted, and as soon as I have a firm decision as to what they're going to do, I will reach out to you."

The lawsuit against Walmart and the Town of Wawarsing was filed in mid-2009 by ShopRite, which has a store in Ellenville, and local advocacy group Wawarsing-Ellenville for Responsible Development (WERD). The suit was filed because of ShopRite and WERD's allegations of impropriety in the approval process for a proposed Walmart Supercenter at the Napanoch Valley Mall. The lawsuit was dismissed by Ulster County Judge Gerald Connolly on January 14, 2010.