Millions of dollars were given to one Colorado city so its homeowners could minimize jet noise. But an exclusive 7NEWS investigation has found that some have used it for purposes that have nothing to do with noise.

Noise violations from Denver International Airport provided Brighton and its homeowners $3.2 million. It's a kind of hush money -- dollars designed to cut down on jet noise -- to pay for projects like insulation and double-paned windows. But in some homes in Brighton, it's not.

7NEWS investigation discovered that in several cases, contractors were overcharging residents and city leaders were neglecting to monitor the spending.

Deb Harris and Chuck Charles are neighbors. They each received more than $4,000 to reduce the jet noise inside their homes.

Harris watched workers spend less than two minutes installing a screen on her brand new French doors -- all paid with noise mitigation money.

"It doesn't cost $136 to put screens on. All they had to do was put it in a track," Harris said. "For what I got, I was overpriced. Immensely."

Charles paid $750 each for two trees. He said the city allowed contractors to over charge for his trees and air conditioner.

"I think it needs to be investigated -- the city, the contractor, whoever," Charles said.

And 7NEWS found more questionable charges.

The city paid nearly $2,000 to cut down a tree at another house. Apparently the patch of dirt that replaced it helps cut down jet noise.

Another home in Brighton spent $1,875 to remove three trees and then paid more than $1,000 for trees that look more like twigs.

"Those don't seem like they are doing a whole lot to make it quiet inside. Do they to you?" Investigator Tony Kovaleski asked the resident.

"No. They don't even seem like they are growing," said homeowner Rocky Suazo.

The city also spent $350 expecting a 4-foot tall juniper bush to eliminate some jet noise. The city also paid nearly $3,500 on a back yard fence.

"The real reason I put up the privacy fence was for the privacy," said homeowner Jennifer Reynolds.

"It's a good looking fence -- a privacy fence. It has no impact on noise," said noise mitigation expert Dana Hougland.

Hougland reviewed the findings of 7NEWS' investigation into Brighton's program.

She said if she was to grade the city of Brighton on its noise mitigation program, she would give it a failing grade.

"Are you satisfied with the way the program was set up and the moneys distributed?" Kovaleski asked the mayor of Brighton.

"I am. I think we did a good job," said Mayor Janice Powlowski.

John Bramble, Brighton's city manager, said he is satisfied with the way Brighton managed those dollars.

But both Brighton's mayor and city manager had trouble justifying dollars spent on fences, trees, tree removal and the juniper bush.

"This is a $350, 4-foot juniper tree," Kovaleski pointed out.

"Ouch. Probably shouldn't have been done. We tried not to be too intrusive on the individuals that did their projects. It is their home," Bramble said.

Although Brighton's program provided free money and improvements to more than 630 households, the city did run out of money. Some of the questionable spending left nearly 1,300 families without help -- all turned away by the city.

"A lot of people didn't get what they wanted because they used too much on all of us," said Harris.

"If we get additional dollars, we'll definitely take a good hard look at how we structure the next program," said Bramble.

7NEWS compared Brighton's spending to programs in Adams County, Thornton, Commerce City and Northglenn. Brighton was the only jurisdiction allowing residents to spend the "free money" on trees, tree removal and fences. And Brighton was also the only one giving money away to homeowners who purchased their homes after DIA was built.

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